This might just be one of the biggest days in tech history or at least that is precisely what Apple is hoping for with the release of their iPhone 6. This afternoon's hotly anticipated live streaming event from the Flint Centre for the Performing Arts (the same venue where the original Mac was unveiled back in 1984) was billed as the biggest launch since the original iPhone hit the market back in 2007. Diehard iPhone users began lining up outside of Manhattan Apple stores days in advance, anxious to be some of the very first to catch a glance of the latest technology and tech gurus around the world are hoping that iPhone 6 will live up to all of the hype.
The live streaming event began with 35,000 of America's top tech journalists crammed together as Apple begin its' launch with a video about seeing things differently and following a precise vision. 'You are the difference between the world as it was...and the better place it will become. And DIFFERENT is the one thing about us that will always be the same.' is a message that was printed on the screen and it was intended to drive home the point that Apple will continue evolving as technology changes.
As for the phones (yes, there are 2) iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with curved edges and bigger screens. The new iPhone glass wraps all the way around the phone and the display is now Retina HD. The new phones are considerably bigger with iPhone 6: 4.7" and the 6 Plus phone is 5.5 inches and has over 2 million pixels while still being thinner than any other iPhone that came before it! It is also as much as 50% faster than whatever phone you are currently using. The battery life is similar to its' predecessor in spite of iPhone 6 being larger and brighter. Thanks to new technology called Voice Over LTE the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will sound a lot clearer too.
Here's something cool- both phones are also geared towards being used with one hand. Apparently Apple finally gets that they are catering to millions of multitaskers that rarely have the luxury of just being completely focused on their phone. Do you know how many App Store applications there are? According to Phil Schiller, senior vice-president of worldwide marketing at Apple Inc. there are now 1.3 million apps available with developers constantly updating software to keep up with the advancing technology.
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus features Wi-Fi that that is now 3 times faster than the iPhone 5 and when you move from wireless calling to cellular the phone transitions without you dropping a call. The camera is an 8MP with 1.5 micron pixels (nice and big) and True Tone flash. That means a whole lot less retouching on all of those selfies that everyone likes to post. Side note, thanks to the cool, rounded design you can tell the front from the back of your phone even if it's still in your pocket.
The new phones come in gold, silver and space gray with the cost not being as steep as you might have feared. $199 for 6GB, $299 for 64 GB and $399 for 128GB- all of course with an iPhone contract. Pre-orders begin on September 12th and the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in the U.S. and 8 other countries beginning on September 19th. Did you check out Apple's steaming launch or are you content to look at the stats and contemplate whether or not it's time for an iPhone 6 upgrade? Tell us your thoughts on the new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in the comments below!
